The family of former Nigeria national football team head coach Festus Adegboye Onigbinde has confirmed his passing.
A family member, Bolade Adesuyi, announced the death of the respected football tactician in a statement on behalf of the family, expressing gratitude to God for a life well spent.
“With great gratitude to God for a life well spent, Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde is dead,” the statement read.
Onigbinde, a Modakeke High Chief, was one of Nigeria’s most respected football coaches and administrators. He served twice as head coach of the Super Eagles and became the first indigenous coach to lead Nigeria to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1984, where the team finished as runners-up after losing to Cameroon national football team.
He also guided Nigeria at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan during his second stint in charge of the national team.
Beyond his time with the national team, Onigbinde made significant contributions to club football, including coaching Shooting Stars Sports Club and playing a key role in the development of football in Nigeria.
Family members described him as a man who lived a fulfilled life and devoted decades to the growth of Nigerian football.
Tributes are expected to pour in from across the Nigerian football community in honour of the veteran coach’s legacy and contributions to the sport.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
